U.S. patent application number 15/218561 was filed with the patent office on 2017-01-26 for apparatus for controlling power converters.
This patent application is currently assigned to DENSO CORPORATION. The applicant listed for this patent is DENSO CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Youhei KONDOU, Yusuke SHINDO.
Application Number | 20170021733 15/218561 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57836763 |
Filed Date | 2017-01-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170021733 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KONDOU; Youhei ; et
al. |
January 26, 2017 |
APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING POWER CONVERTERS
Abstract
In an apparatus for controlling switching operations of
switching elements of a power converter to convert input power to
output power, a drive controller is configured to generate a drive
control instruction indicative of predetermined switching
operations of the switching elements, and output the drive control
instruction. A driver is configured to drive, in accordance with
the drive control instruction, the switching elements, so that the
switching elements perform the predetermined switching operations.
A switching speed adjuster is configured to obtain at least
information indicative of atmospheric pressure, and adjust a
switching speed of each of the switching elements such that the
switching speed of the corresponding switching element decreases
with a decrease of the atmospheric pressure.
Inventors: |
KONDOU; Youhei; (Kariya,
JP) ; SHINDO; Yusuke; (Kariya, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
DENSO CORPORATION |
Kariya |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
DENSO CORPORATION
Kariya
JP
|
Family ID: |
57836763 |
Appl. No.: |
15/218561 |
Filed: |
July 25, 2016 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H03K 17/145 20130101;
H02M 2001/0009 20130101; H02M 2001/327 20130101; B60L 50/13
20190201; Y02T 10/7072 20130101; H02M 2001/0029 20130101; H02M
7/53871 20130101; B60L 53/00 20190201; Y02T 10/70 20130101; Y02T
90/14 20130101; H02M 7/797 20130101; H02M 1/08 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B60L 11/08 20060101
B60L011/08; B60L 11/18 20060101 B60L011/18; H02M 7/44 20060101
H02M007/44 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 24, 2015 |
JP |
2015-146478 |
Claims
1. An apparatus for controlling switching operations of a plurality
of switching elements of a power converter to convert input power
to output power, the apparatus comprising: a drive controller
configured to generate a drive control instruction indicative of
predetermined switching operations of the switching elements; a
driver configured to drive, in accordance with the drive control
instruction, the switching elements, so that the switching elements
perform the predetermined switching operations; and a switching
speed adjuster configured to obtain at least information indicative
of atmospheric pressure, and adjust a switching speed of each of
the switching elements such that the switching speed of the
corresponding switching element decreases with a decrease of the
atmospheric pressure.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the apparatus
includes a high voltage part and a low voltage part, the power
converter is located in the high voltage part, the low voltage part
is configured such that a voltage, which is lower than an input
voltage of the input power to the power converter, is applied
thereto, the switching speed adjuster comprises a switching speed
setter and a switching speed changer, the switching speed setter
being configured to: obtain the information indicative of the
atmospheric pressure; set a switching-speed instruction indicative
of adjustment of the switching speed of each of the switching
elements such that the switching speed of the corresponding
switching element decreases with a decrease of the atmospheric
pressure; and output the switching-speed instruction; and the
switching speed changer being configured to change the switching
speed of each of the switching elements in accordance with the
switching-speed instruction output from the switching speed setter,
and the switching speed setter is provided in one of the high
voltage part and the low voltage part, and the switching speed
changer is provided in the high voltage part.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the switching speed
setter is configured to: obtain a switching-element current flowing
through at least one of the switching element; and set the
switching-speed instruction to adjust the switching speed of each
of the switching elements such that the switching speed of the
corresponding switching element decreases with an increase of the
switching-element current.
4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the switching speed
setter is configured to: obtain an environmental temperature around
the apparatus; and set the switching-speed instruction to adjust
the switching speed of each of the switching elements such that the
switching speed of the corresponding switching element decreases
with a decrease of the environmental temperature.
5. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the switching speed
setter is configured to: obtain the input voltage of the input
power; and set the switching-speed instruction to adjust the
switching speed of each of the switching elements such that the
switching speed of the corresponding switching element decreases
with an increase of the input voltage.
6. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the switching speed
setter is configured to: obtain a switching-element current flowing
through at least one of the switching element; obtain an
environmental temperature around the apparatus; and obtain the
input voltage of the input power, set the switching-speed
instruction to adjust the switching speed of each of the switching
elements based on correlation information representing that the
switching speed of the corresponding switching element decreases
with a decrease of the atmospheric pressure; and adjust the
correlation information depending on: a first condition that the
switching speed of the corresponding switching element decreases
with an increase of the switching-element current; a second
condition that the switching speed of the corresponding switching
element decreases with a decrease of the environmental temperature;
and a third condition that the switching speed of the corresponding
switching element decreases with an increase of the input
voltage.
7. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the switching speed
setter is installed in the drive controller, and obtains the
information indicative of the atmospheric pressure from one of an
atmospheric pressure measuring unit and an external device, the
atmospheric pressure measuring unit being provided in the low
voltage part.
8. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the switching speed
setter is installed in the driver, and obtains the information
indicative of the atmospheric pressure from an atmospheric pressure
measuring unit, the atmospheric pressure measuring unit being
provided in the high voltage part.
9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus and
power converter are installed in a hybrid or electric vehicle in
which a motor-generator is installed as a power source of the
hybrid or electric vehicle, the predetermined switching operations
of the switching elements controlling the output power to be
supplied to the motor-generator.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is based on and claims the benefit of
priority from Japanese Patent Application 2015-146478 filed on Jul.
24, 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated in its entirety
herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates to apparatuses for
controlling switching operations of switching elements of a power
converter.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Known technologies, which are preferably applicable to power
conversion systems used in environments where atmospheric pressure
around the power systems varies, are configured to change the
controlling conditions of a power converter of a power conversion
system in accordance with the atmospheric pressure around the power
conversion system.
[0004] For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No.
2014-161165 discloses a motor vehicle including a control unit for
controlling an allowable upper limit voltage for an input voltage
to an inverter installed in a motor vehicle. The inverter is an
example of power converters for converting direct-current (DC)
power to alternating-current (AC) power to be applied to a motor.
Specifically, the control unit decreases the allowable upper limit
voltage if the motor vehicle is travelling in a low
atmospheric-pressure region, such as a high altitude region. This
curbs insulation deterioration of the motor, because the
atmospheric pressure is proportional to breakdown voltage.
SUMMARY
[0005] The above-described Patent Publication refers only to
insulation deterioration of the motor under low
atmospheric-pressure environments around the motor vehicle.
[0006] Typical inverters are each comprised of switching elements,
and controlling switching operations of the switching elements of
an inverter controls input DC power to produce the desired AC
power. This results in a surge resulting from the switching
operations being superimposingly applied to the switching elements
in addition to an input DC voltage to the switching elements.
[0007] Low atmospheric-pressure environments, which reduce spatial
electrical insulation properties, may reduce the withstand
voltages, i.e. the electrical isolation margins, of electrical
isolation devices, which are used together with the inverter, such
as transformers or photocouplers, when there is a surge in the
switching elements. This may result in an increase of the
possibility of electrical breakdown of these electrical isolation
devices.
[0008] The above-described technology, which merely reduces the
allowable upper limit voltage if the motor vehicle is travelling in
low atmospheric-pressure environments, may have difficulty in
sufficient reduction of the maximum voltage input to the switching
elements when there is a surge in the switching elements. This may
therefore result in electrical breakdown of the electrical
isolation devices that are used together with the inverter. This
may therefore require an increase of the electrical isolation
distance of each of the electrical isolation devices, resulting in
upsizing of each electrical isolation device and circuit board if
the electrical isolation devices and the inverter are mounted to a
circuit board.
[0009] In view of the circumstances set forth above, one aspect of
the present disclosure seeks to provide apparatuses for controlling
a power converter comprised of a plurality of switching elements.
Each of the apparatuses is capable of reducing, despite the
reduction in the atmospheric pressure around the apparatus, the
maximum voltage input to the power converter even if there is a
surge in the switching elements of the power converter.
[0010] According to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure,
there is provided an apparatus for controlling switching operations
of a plurality of switching elements of a power converter to
convert input power to output power. The apparatus includes a drive
controller configured to generate a drive control instruction
indicative of predetermined switching operations of the switching
elements. The apparatus includes a driver configured to drive, in
accordance with the drive control instruction, the switching
elements, so that the switching elements perform the predetermined
switching operations. The apparatus includes a switching speed
adjuster configured to obtain at least information indicative of
atmospheric pressure, and adjust a switching speed of each of the
switching elements such that the switching speed of the
corresponding switching element decreases with a decrease of the
atmospheric pressure.
[0011] The switching speed adjuster of the apparatus according to
the exemplary aspect of the present disclosure is configured to
adjust the switching speed of each of the switching elements such
that the switching speed of the corresponding switching element
decreases with a decrease of the atmospheric pressure.
[0012] This suppresses the magnitude of a surge even if the surge
occurs in low atmospheric-pressure environments in which the
withstand voltages, i.e. the electrical isolation margins, of
electrical isolation devices used together with the power converter
may decrease. This suppression properly prevents electrical
breakdown of the electrical isolation devices. This reduces the
electrical isolation distance of each of the electrical isolation
devices, thus downsizing the apparatus.
[0013] The above and/or other features, and/or advantages of
various aspects of the present disclosure will be further
appreciated in view of the following description in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings. Various aspects of the present
disclosure can include and/or exclude different features, and/or
advantages where applicable. In addition, various aspects of the
present disclosure can combine one or more feature of other
embodiments where applicable. The descriptions of features, and/or
advantages of particular embodiments should not be construed as
limiting other embodiments or the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] Other aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent
from the following description of embodiments with reference to the
accompanying drawings in which:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a circuit and block diagram of a power conversion
system for converting input power to controlled output power
according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram schematically illustrating an
overall structure of a switching speed changer illustrated in FIG.
1;
[0017] FIG. 3A is a graph schematically illustrating that an
inverter control apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 changes the
switching speed of a switching element in two levels in accordance
with atmospheric pressure;
[0018] FIG. 3B is a graph schematically illustrating that the
inverter control apparatus changes the switching speed of a
switching element in a hysteresis curve indicative of the
relationships between the switching speed and the atmospheric
pressure;
[0019] FIG. 3C is a graph schematically illustrating that the
inverter control apparatus stepwisely changes the switching speed
of a switching element in accordance with the atmospheric
pressure;
[0020] FIG. 4A is a graph schematically illustrating the
relationships between the switching speed of a switching element
and a switching-element current according to the first
embodiment;
[0021] FIG. 4B is a graph schematically illustrating the
relationships between the switching speed of a switching element
and an environmental temperature according to the first
embodiment;
[0022] FIG. 4C is a graph schematically illustrating the
relationships between the switching speed of a switching element
and an inverter input voltage according to the first
embodiment;
[0023] FIG. 5 is a graph schematically illustrating that the
inverter control apparatus continuously changes the switching speed
of a switching element in accordance with the atmospheric
pressure;
[0024] FIG. 6 is a flowchart schematically illustrating a switching
speed setting routine executed by the inverter control apparatus
illustrated in FIG. 1;
[0025] FIG. 7 is a circuit and block diagram of a power conversion
system for converting input power to controlled output power
according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure;
and
[0026] FIG. 8 is a circuit and block diagram of a power conversion
system for converting input power to controlled output power
according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT
[0027] The following describes the first to third embodiments of
the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the first to third embodiments, like parts between the first to
third embodiments, to which like reference characters are assigned,
are omitted or simplified in description to avoid redundant
description.
[0028] Power-converter control apparatuses according to the
respective first to third embodiments are applicable for power
conversion systems installable in hybrid vehicles and/or electrical
vehicles. Such a power conversion system drives a motor-generator
serving as a power source of the corresponding vehicle. Inverters
for converting DC power to AC power serve as, for example, power
converters according to the present disclosure, and inverter
control apparatuses for controlling switching operations of
switching elements of an inverter serve as, for example,
power-converter control apparatuses. An input voltage to such an
inverter serves as, for example, an input voltage to a power
converter.
First Embodiment
[0029] The following describes an inverter control apparatus 501
according to the first embodiment with reference to FIGS. 1 to
6.
[0030] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the overall structure of a
power conversion system 90 installed in a vehicle, to which the
inverter control apparatus 501 has been applied. The power
conversion system 90 includes an inverter 30, and causes the
inverter 30 to convert DC power output from a battery 20 into
desired AC power. The inverter 30 supplies the AC power to a
motor-generator 80 serving as one of electrical loads; the
motor-generator 80 is illustrated by reference character MG in FIG.
1. Note that, in some figures, the term "switching" is abbreviated
by SW.
[0031] For example, the motor-generator 80 is a permanent magnet
synchronous three-phase motor-generator as an example of rotary
electric machines. Specifically, the motor-generator 80 is provided
with a rotor 80a and a stator 80b. The rotor 80a is provided with
at least one pair of permanent magnets.
[0032] The rotor 80a has a direct axis (d-axis) in line with a
direction of magnetic flux created by an N pole of the at least one
pair of permanent magnets. The rotor 80a also has a quadrature axis
(q-axis) with a phase leading by .pi./2-radian electrical angle
with respect to a corresponding d-axis during rotation of the rotor
80a. In other words, the q-axis is electromagnetically
perpendicular to the d-axis. The d and q axes constitute a d-q
coordinate system, i.e. a two-phase rotating coordinate system,
defined relative to the rotor 80a.
[0033] The stator 80b includes a stator core such that the rotor
80a is rotatably arranged with respect to the stator core. The
stator 80b also includes a set of three-phase windings, i.e.
armature windings, 81, 82, and 83 wound in the stator core. The
stator 80b has a three-phase fixed coordinate system having fixed
three axes corresponding to the respective three-phase windings 81,
82, and 83.
[0034] The three-phase, i.e. U-, V, and W-phase, stator windings
81, 82, and 83 are wound in the stator core such that the U-, V-,
and W-phase winding 81, 82, and 83 are shifted by an electrical
angle of, for example, 2.pi./3 radian in phase from each other.
[0035] For example, the three-phase armature windings, i.e. U-, V-,
and W-phase windings, 81, 82, and 83 each have one end connected to
a common junction, i.e. a neutral point, and the other end to a
separate terminal in, for example, a star-configuration.
[0036] Note that the motor-generator 80 can be designed as a
wound-field synchronous motor.
[0037] The rotor 80a of the motor-generator 80 is coupled to
driving wheels of the vehicle. The motor-generator 80 serves as a
motor that generates torque for rotatably driving the driving
wheels. The motor-generator 80 also serves as a power generator
that regenerates electrical power based on torque supplied from the
driving wheels or an internal combustion engine if the internal
combustion engine is installed in the vehicle. The generated
electrical power is sent to, for example, the battery 20 to charge
the battery 20.
[0038] The inverter 30 includes switching elements 31 to 36 for
converting input DC power to desired AC power to be applied to the
motor-generator 80. The control apparatus 501 controls switching
operations of the switching elements 31 to 36 to adjust the AC
power to be applied to the motor-generator 80.
[0039] The battery 20, may be a DC power source, may be for example
a chargeable/dischargeable secondary battery, such as a
Nickel-metal hydride battery or a Lithium-ion battery. As another
example, an electrical double layer capacitor can be used as a DC
power source.
[0040] The power conversion system 90 includes an input-voltage
sensor 24, a smoothing capacitor 25, a rotational angle sensor 85,
and current sensors 86 and 87 in addition to the inverter 30.
[0041] The input-voltage sensor 24 measures an input voltage Vinv,
which is a DC voltage output from the battery 20, to the inverter
30. The input-voltage sensor 24 is communicable with the inverter
control apparatus 501, and operative to send, to the inverter
control apparatus 501, a measurement signal indicative of the
measured input voltage Vinv. The input voltage Vinv to the inverter
30 will be referred to as an inverter input voltage Vinv. The
smoothing capacitor 25 smooths the inverter input voltage Vinv, so
that the inverter input voltage Vinv, which has been smoothed by
the smoothing capacitor 25, is input to the inverter 30.
[0042] The separate terminals of the three-phase windings 81, 82,
and 83 are coupled to the inverter 30. The inverter 30 is connected
to the DC power source 22.
[0043] The inverter 30 is designed such that the switching elements
31 to 36 are connected to each other in bridge configuration.
Specifically, the switching elements 31, 32, and 33 are
respectively U-, V-, and W-phase upper-arm (high-side) switching
elements 31, 32, and 33, and the switching elements 34, 35, and 36
are respectively U-, V-, and W-phase lower-arm (low-side) switching
elements 34, 35, and 36.
[0044] The U-phase upper- and lower-arm switching elements 31 and
34 are connected to each other in series, and the V-phase upper-
and lower-arm switching elements 32 and 35 are connected to each
other in series. In addition, the W-phase upper- and lower-arm
switching elements 33 and 36 are connected to each other in
series.
[0045] The connection point through which the switching elements 31
and 34 are connected to each other in series is connected to an
output lead extending from the separate terminal of the U-phase
winding 81. Similarly, the connection point through which the
switching elements 32 and 35 are connected to each other in series
is connected to an output lead extending from the separate terminal
of the V-phase winding 82. The connection point through which the
switching elements 33 and 36 are connected to each other in series
is connected to an output lead extending from the separate terminal
of the W-phase winding 83.
[0046] The first embodiment uses IGBTs (Insulated Gate Bipolar
Transistors) as the respective switching elements 31 to 36.
[0047] The inverter 30 also includes a flywheel diode D connected
in antiparallel to each of the switching elements 31 to 36 to
permit a current to flow from the emitter side, i.e. low voltage
side, to the collector side, i.e. high voltage side. When power
MOSFETs, such as N-channel MOSFETs, are used as the switching
elements 31 to 36, intrinsic diodes of the power MOSFETs can be
used as the flywheel diodes, thus eliminating the need for external
flywheel diodes.
[0048] The inverter 30 has high-voltage terminals, i.e.
collector-side terminals, of the series-connected switching
elements. The high-voltage terminals of the inverter 30 are
connected to the positive terminal of the battery 20. The inverter
30 also has low-voltage terminals, i.e. emitter-side terminals, of
the series-connected switching elements 31 to 36. The low-voltage
terminals of the inverter 30 are connected to the negative terminal
of the battery 20.
[0049] As described above, switching operations of the switching
elements 31 to 36 enables DC power output from the battery 20 to be
converted into controlled three-phase AC power, so that the
controlled three-phase AC power is supplied to the motor-generator
80.
[0050] The current sensors 86 and 87 are arranged to measure
instantaneous values of V- and W-phase alternating currents Iv and
Iw actually flowing through the respective V- and W-phase windings
82 and 83 of the stator 80b. Each of the current sensors 86 and 87
is communicable with the inverter control apparatus 501, and
operative to output a measurement signal indicative of the measured
value of a corresponding one of the V- and W-phase alternating
currents Iv and Iw to the inverter control apparatus 501.
[0051] The rotational angle sensor 85 measures a rotational angle,
i.e. an electrical rotational angle, .theta. of the rotor 80a. The
rotational angle sensor 85 is communicable with the inverter
control apparatus 501, and operative to output, to the inverter
control apparatus 501, a measurement signal indicative of the
rotational angle .theta. of the rotor 80a.
[0052] The inverter control apparatus 501 includes, for example, a
circuit board, a controller 101, and a driver 401; the controller
101 and the driver 401 are mounted to the circuit board. The
controller 101 constitutes a low voltage system, so that an
operating voltage of, for example, several volts, which is lower
than the inverter input voltage Vinv, is applied to the controller
101. In other words, the controller 101 operates based on such a
low voltage of several volts when operating. For example, the
controller 101 is disposed in a low voltage part 100 defined in the
power conversion system 90 of the vehicle.
[0053] The controller 101 is designed as, for example, a computer
circuit including essentially of, for example, a CPU, a memory
including a ROM and a RAM, an input/output (I/O) interface, and
buses communicably connecting between the CPU, memory, and I/O
interface. The controller 101 is configured such that the CPU runs
programs previously stored in the memory to perform various tasks,
i.e. routines. If the controller 101 includes at least one
dedicated hardware electronic circuit, the at least one dedicated
hardware circuit and the CPU are configured to perform the various
tasks cooperatively.
[0054] For example, a vehicle controller 300, which is a
higher-level controller than the controller 101, is configured to
perform overall control of the vehicle. Specifically, the vehicle
controller 300 is configured to set a request torque trq* based on,
for example, the amount of driver's depression of an accelerator
pedal of the vehicle, and output a signal indicative of the request
torque trq* to the controller 101. This results in the signal
indicative of the request torque trq* being input to the controller
101. Additionally, the measurement signals representing the
respective V- and W-phase alternating currents Iv and Iw, which are
output from the current sensors 86 and 87, and the measurement
signal indicative of the rotational angle, i.e. an electrical
rotational angle, .theta. of the rotor 80a, which is output from
the rotational angle sensor 85, are input to the controller
101.
[0055] The controller 101, which serves as a drive controller,
includes a switching control command calculator 11 and a switching
speed setter 12. In other words, the CPU and/or the at least one
dedicated hardware circuit serve as the switching control command
calculator 11 and switching speed setter 12.
[0056] The switching control command calculator 11 is configured to
perform a known current-feedback control routine based on the
request torque trq*, the V- and W-phase alternating currents Iv and
w, and the rotational angle .theta. of the rotor 80a. For example,
the known current-feedback control routine calculates the U-phase
alternating current Iu based on the V- and W-phase alternating
currents Iv and Iw in accordance with the Kirchhoff's law, and
converts the three-phase currents Iu, Iv, and Iw into d- and q-axis
currents Id and Iq. The known current-feedback control routine sets
a d-axis command current Id* and a q-axis command current Iq* based
on the request torque trq*, and calculates a d-axis deviation
.DELTA.Id between the d-axis command current Id* and the d-axis
current Id, and a q-axis deviation .DELTA.Iq between the q-axis
command current Iq* and the q-axis current Iq.
[0057] Then, the known current-feedback control routine performs,
for example, a proportional-integral feedback task. The
proportional-feedback task calculates a d-axis command voltage Vd*
such that the d-axis deviation .DELTA.Id converges to zero, thus
causing the d-axis current Id to follow the d-axis command current
Id*. Similarly, the proportional-feedback task also calculates a
q-axis command voltage Vq* such that the q-axis deviation .DELTA.Iq
converges to zero, thus causing the q-axis current Iq to follow the
q-axis command current Iq*. After calculation of the d- and q-axis
command voltages Vd* and Vq*, the known current-feedback control
routine converts the d- and q-axis command voltages Vd* and Vq*
into three-phase command voltages Vu*, Vv*, and Vw* in the
three-phase fixed coordinate system.
[0058] For example, the known current-feedback control routine
compares in magnitude each of the three-phase command voltages Vu*,
Vv*, and Vw* with a periodic carrier signal, such as a periodic
triangular carrier signal. Then, the known current-feedback control
routine generates drive control instructions in accordance with the
results of the comparison between the three-phase command voltages
Vu*, Vv*, and Vw* and the periodic carrier signal, and outputs the
drive control instructions to the driver 401.
[0059] The inverter 30 constitutes a high voltage system, so that
the inverter 30 is disposed in a high voltage part 200 defined in
the power conversion system 90 of the vehicle; in the high voltage
part, a high voltage, which lies within the range from tens of
volts to hundreds of volts, is applied to the inverter 30.
[0060] The driver 401 also constitutes the high voltage system. The
diver 401 generates, based on the drive control instructions, drive
signals UU, VU, WU, UL, VL, and WL for the respective switching
elements 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36. That is the drive signals UU,
VU, WU, UL, VL, and WL are pulse-width modulated (PWM) signals
based on the results of the so comparison between the three-phase
command voltages Vu*, Vv*, and Vw* and the periodic carrier
signal.
[0061] The driver 401 outputs the drive signals UU and UL that
complementarily turn on the upper- and lower-arm switching elements
31 and 34. Similarly, the driver 401 outputs the drive signals VU
and VL that complementarily turn on the upper- and lower-arm
switching elements 32 and 35. Additionally, the driver 401 outputs
the drive signals WU and WL that complementarily turn on the upper-
and lower-arm switching elements 33 and 36.
[0062] The power conversion system 90 includes electrical isolation
elements 92, such as transformers or photocouplers, which are not
shown, mounted on the circuit board of the inverter control
apparatus 501. The electrical isolation elements 92 establish
electrical isolation between the elements disposed in the low
voltage part 100 and the elements disposed in the high voltage part
200.
[0063] The driver 401 also includes a general switching speed
changer 43 capable of changing the switching speed of each of the
switching elements 31 to 36.
[0064] Note that switching a typical switching element, such as an
IGBT, from one of an on state and an off state to the other thereof
causes a surge to occur due to a rapid change of a current flowing
through the typical switching element. The rapid change of the
current flowing through the typical switching element is generated
at the switching timing. That is, the magnitude of the surge is
proportional to the differential value of the current flowing
through the typical switching element Slowing the switching speed
of a switching element is therefore effective in reduction of
adverse effects of such a surge.
[0065] However, constantly slowing the switching speed of a
switching element may increase switching loss of the switching
element. Users therefore have a requirement to
[0066] 1. Decrease the switching speed of a switching element to
suppress the magnitude of a surge under the situations where there
is a higher need to reduce adverse effects generated by the
corresponding switching operation
[0067] 2. Increase the switching speed under the situations where
there is a lower need to reduce adverse effects generated by the
corresponding switching operation, thus reducing switching loss of
the switching element.
[0068] To fulfill the user's requirements, the switching speed
changer 43 is configured to change the switching speed of each of
the switching elements 31 to 36 in response to switching-speed
instructions sent from the switching speed setter 12. How the
switching speed setter 12 and the switching speed changer 43
specifically operate will be described later.
[0069] Additionally, the power conversion system 90 includes an
atmospheric-pressure measuring unit 61 for measuring atmospheric
pressure Pa, and a temperature measuring unit 62 for measuring
environment temperature Ta therearound. The atmospheric-pressure
measuring unit 61 and temperature measuring unit 62 are provided in
the low voltage part 100.
[0070] For example, the atmospheric-pressure measuring unit 61
includes a pressure sensor comprised of a pressure-sensitive
element. The reference character Pa is merely a label and does not
mean pascal as the unit of pressure. The present disclosure uses
atmospheres (atm) the unit of atmospheric pressure (see FIGS. 3 and
5).
[0071] The switching speed setter 12, which is installed in the
controller 101 according to the first embodiment, obtains a value
of at least one parameter correlating with the switching speed of
each of the switching elements 31 to 36 from the corresponding at
least one of the components 61, 62, 86, 87, and 24.
[0072] Specifically, the switching speed setter 12 obtains a value
of the atmospheric pressure Pa from the atmospheric-pressure
measuring unit 61. The switching speed setter 12 also obtains
values of the V- and W-phase alternating currents Iv and Iw sent
from the respective current sensors 86 and 87. The switching speed
setter 12 further obtains a value of the environment temperature Ta
from the temperature measuring unit 62, and a value of the inverter
input voltage Vinv from the measurement signal sent from the
input-voltage sensor 24. Note that the atmospheric-pressure
measuring unit 61 and the temperature measuring unit 62 can be
provided outside the circuit board of the controller 101 as
illustrated in FIG. 1, or can be provided to the circuit board of
the controller 101.
[0073] The switching speed setter 12 can obtain only a value of the
atmospheric pressure Pa from the atmospheric-pressure measuring
unit 61. The switching speed setter 12 can also obtain at least one
of a value of the V-phase alternating current Iv, a value of the
W-phase alternating current Iw, a value of the environment
temperature Ta, and a value of the inverter input voltage Vinv in
addition to a value of the atmospheric pressure Pa.
[0074] That is, the switching speed setter 12 manipulates the
V-phase alternating current Iv or the W-phase alternating current
Iw as a current reflecting a switching-element current Ice, i.e. a
collector-emitter current Ice, flowing between the collector and
emitter of the corresponding phase switching element. The switching
speed setter 12 can calculate the U-phase alternating current Iu
based on the V- and W-phase alternating currents Iv and Iw in
accordance with the Kirchhoff's law.
[0075] Note that each of the switching elements 31 to 36 can have a
sense cell, i.e. sense terminal, Sc, and the switching speed setter
12 can obtain a value of the switching-element current Ice of each
of the switching elements 31 to 36 from the corresponding sense
cell Sc (sec FIG. 2). Specifically, the sense terminal Sc of each
of the switching elements 31 to 36 is connected to a common ground
G of the inverter 30 via a sense resistor 37, and the emitter of
each of the switching elements 31 to 36 is connected to the common
ground G. Thus, the switching speed setter 12 can measure the
voltage across the sense resistor 37 of each of the switching
elements 31 to 36 to obtain, based on the measured voltage, a value
of the switching-element current Ice flowing through the
corresponding switching element.
[0076] That is, the sense cells Sc provided to the respective
upper- and lower-arm switching elements of each phase enable the
switching speed setter 12 to measure a short-circuit current
flowing through the upper- and lower-arm switching elements.
[0077] The switching speed setter 12 sets the switching speed of
each of the switching elements 31 to 36 based on the value of the
at least one parameter set forth above. Then, the switching speed
setter 12 sends, to the switching speed changer 43, the
switching-speed instructions indicative of the switching speed of
each of the switching elements 31 to 36 set thereby. Specifically,
the switching speed setter 12, which is disposed in the low voltage
part 100, outputs the switching speed instructions to the switching
speed changer 43, which is disposed in the high voltage part 200,
via the electrical isolation elements 92 while establishing
electrical isolation between the switching speed setter 12 and the
switching speed changer 43.
[0078] The switching speed changer 43 changes the switching speed
of each of the switching elements 31 to 36 based on the switching
speed instructions sent from the switching speed setter 12.
[0079] That is, the switching speed setter 12 and the switching
speed changer 43 serves as, for example, a switching speed
adjuster. The switching speed adjuster is configured to obtain at
least information indicative of the atmospheric pressure Pa around
the apparatus 501, and adjust the switching speed of each switching
element 31 to 36 such that the switching speed of the corresponding
switching element decreases with a decrease of the atmospheric
pressure Pa described in detail later.
[0080] Next, the following describes an example of the structure of
the switching speed changer 43 with reference to FIG. 2.
[0081] The switching speed changer 43 according to the first
embodiment stepwisely changes the gate voltage or gate resistance
of each switching element 31 to 36. FIG. 2 illustrates that the
switching speed changer 43 uses a constant voltage to change the
gate resistance of each switching element 31 to 36 at three levels
accordingly in a constant voltage mode. The switching speed changer
43 can change the switching speed of each switching element 31 to
36 using a constant current in a constant current mode. In this
modification, the switching speed changer 43 can continuously, i.e.
non-stepwisely, change the switching speed of each switching
element 31 to 36.
[0082] Referring to FIG. 2, the switching speed changer 43
includes, for each switching element 31 to 36, a gate control
circuit 44, a plurality of, such as three, turn-on switching
elements 451, 452, and 453, and a plurality of, such as three,
turn-on resistors 471, 472, and 473. The switching speed changer 43
also includes a plurality of, such as three, turn-off switching
elements 461, 462, and 463, and a plurality of, such as three,
turn-off resistors 481, 482, and 483. FIG. 2 schematically
illustrates the module of the circuits 451, 452, 453, 471, 472,
473, 461, 462, 463, 481, 482, and 483 for the switching element 31,
so that the other modules respectively provided for the other
switching elements 32 to 36 can be provided in the switching speed
changer 43. The gate control circuit 44 can be commonly used for
controlling the switching speeds of all the switching elements 31
to 36.
[0083] As described above, the upper- and lower-arm switching
elements of each phase need be complementarily turned on. Thus, the
switching speed changer 43 is configured to set the turn-on speed
of the upper-arm switching element and the turn-off speed of the
lower-arm switching element of each phase such that the turn-on
speed of the upper-arm switching element and the turn-off speed of
the lower-arm switching element substantially match with each
other. Similarly, the switching speed changer 43 is configured to
set the turn-off speed of the upper-arm switching element and the
turn-on speed of the lower-arm switching element of each phase such
that the turn-off speed of the upper-arm switching element and the
turn-on speed of the lower-arm switching element substantially
match with each other. The turn-on speed of the upper-arm switching
element does not so strictly match with the turn-off speed of the
lower-arm switching element as long as there are no adverse
effects. Similarly, the turn-off speed of the upper-arm switching
element does not so strictly match with the turn-on speed of the
lower-arm switching element as long as there are no adverse
effects.
[0084] The first embodiment uses P-channel FETs as the respective
turn-on switching elements 451, 452, and 453. Each of the turn-on
FETs 451, 452, and 453 has an input terminal, such as its source,
connected to an isolated power supply 310, so that a constant
reference voltage Vom is applied from the isolated power supply 310
to the input terminal of the input terminal of each of the turn-on
FETs 451, 452, and 453. Each of the turn-on FETs 451, 452, and 453
also has an output terminal, such as its drain, connected to a
first end of a corresponding one of the turn-on resistors 471, 472,
and 473. Each of the turn-on resistors 471, 472, and 473 has a
second end, which is opposite to the first end, connected to the
gate of the switching element 31.
[0085] Each of the turn-on resistors 471, 472, and 473 also has a
control terminal, i.e. its gate, connected to the gate control
circuit 44. The turn-on resistors 471, 472, and 473 have resistance
values, which are different from each other.
[0086] The gate control circuit 44 sends a gate signal to a
selected one of the turn-on FETs 451, 452, and 453 to switch on the
selected one of the turn-on FETs 451, 452, and 453. This enables a
charging current based on the constant reference voltage Vom to be
supplied to the gate of the switching element 31 via an electrical
conduction path, on which the corresponding turn-on resistor is
mounted, between the constant reference voltage Vom and the gate of
the switching element 31. This charges the gate of the switching
element 31 to increase the gate voltage of the switching element
31, so that, when the gate voltage becomes equal to or higher than
a first threshold voltage, the switching element 31 is turned
on.
[0087] The turn-on resistors 471, 472, and 473, which are different
from each other, therefore enable the charging speed of the gate of
the switching element 31 to be stepwisely changed, so that the
switching speed, i.e. turn-on speed, of the switching element 31 is
stepwisely changed.
[0088] The first embodiment uses N-channel FETs as the respective
turn-off switching elements 461, 462, and 463. Each of the turn-off
FETs 461, 462, and 463 has an input terminal, such as its drain,
connected to a first end of a corresponding one of the turn-off
resistors 481, 482, and 483. Each of the turn-on resistors 481,
482, and 483 has a second end, which is opposite to the first end,
connected to the gate of the switching element 31.
[0089] Each of the turn-off FETs 461, 462, and 463 has an output
terminal, such as its source, connected to the common ground G.
[0090] Each of the turn-off FETs 461, 462, and 463 has a control
terminal, i.e. its gate, connected to the gate control circuit 44.
The turn-off resistors 481, 482, and 483 have resistance values,
which are, for example, different from each other.
[0091] The gate control circuit 44 sends a gate signal to a
selected one of the turn-off FET 461, 462, and 463 to switch on the
selected one of the turn-off FETs 461, 462, and 463. This enables a
discharging current to flow from the gate of the switching element
31 via an electrical conduction path, on which the corresponding
turn-off resistor is mounted, between the gate of the switching
element 31 and the common ground G. This discharges the gate of the
switching element 31 to decrease the gate voltage of the switching
element 31, so that, when the gate voltage becomes equal to or
lower than a second threshold voltage, the switching element 31 is
turned off.
[0092] The turn-off resistors 481, 482, and 483, which are
different from each other, therefore enable the discharging speed
of the gate of the switching element 31 to be stepwisely changed,
so that the switching speed, i.e. turn-off speed, of the switching
element 31 is stepwisely changed.
[0093] The circuit structure and operations of each of the other
modules respectively provided for the other switching elements 32
to 36 are substantially identical to the circuit structure and
operations of the module provided for the switching element 31.
[0094] Next, the following describes the first to third specific
switching-speed changing patterns, which are examples of various
switching-speed changing patterns for the switching element 31
selected as a typical example of the switching elements 31 to 36
with reference to FIGS. 3A to 5.
[0095] FIG. 3A schematically illustrates that the inverter control
apparatus 501 changes the switching speed of the switching element
31 in two levels in accordance with the atmospheric pressure Pa.
Specifically, the inverter control apparatus 501 sets the switching
speed of the switching element 31 to
[0096] (1) A first speed SP1 when the atmospheric pressure Pa is
lower than a threshold pressure Pth
[0097] (2) A second speed SP2, which is higher than the first speed
SP1, when the atmospheric pressure Pa is equal to or higher than
the threshold pressure Pth.
[0098] Specifically, motoring roads, i.e. motorways, at the fifth
station of Mount Fuji in Japan are approximately 2400 m above sea
level, and have an atmospheric pressure of approximately 0.75
atmospheres. On the other hand, there are paved roads in Colorado
in the United States where the paved roads are 4000 m or more over
sea level, and are at an atmospheric pressure of approximately 0.6
atmospheres. Thus, setting the threshold pressure Pth to 0.8
atmospheres enables the switching speed of the switching element 31
to be changed from the second speed SP2 to the first speed SP1
while the vehicle is moving from a non-mountainous road at 1
atmosphere to a mountainous road which is 2000 m or more above sea
level.
[0099] A decrease of the atmospheric pressure Pa may reduce spatial
electrical insulation properties. This may reduce the withstand
voltages, i.e. the electrical isolation margins, of electrical
isolation devices, such as transformers or photocouplers, when
there is a surge in a switching element. This may result in an
increase of the possibility of electrical breakdown of these
electrical isolation devices.
[0100] In view of these circumstances, the inverter control
apparatus 501 is configured to reduce the switching speed of each
of the switching elements 31 to 36 in low atmospheric-pressure
environments in which the withstand voltages, i.e. the electrical
isolation margins, of electrical isolation devices may decrease.
This suppresses the magnitude of a surge even if the surge occurs,
thus preventing electrical breakdown of the electrical isolation
elements 92 mounted to the circuit board of the inverter control
apparatus 501.
[0101] FIG. 6 is a flowchart schematically illustrating a switching
speed setting routine, which is for example periodically executed
by the inverter control apparatus 501. The switching speed setting
routine illustrated in FIG. 6 causes the inverter control apparatus
501 to change the switching speed of the switching element 31 in
two levels in accordance with the atmospheric pressure Pa as
illustrated in FIG. 3A.
[0102] Note that, while the vehicle is travelling from a present
place toward a target place whose attitude above sea level is
higher than that of the present place, the atmospheric pressure Pa
does not change sharply. The execution period of the switching
speed setting routine can be therefore set to be longer than the
normal control period of the controller 101.
[0103] When launching the switching speed setting routine, the
switching speed setter 12 of the inverter control apparatus 501
obtains the atmospheric pressure Pa from the atmospheric-pressure
measuring unit 61 in step S1. Next, the switching speed setter 12
determines whether the atmospheric pressure Pa is equal to or
higher than the threshold pressure Pth in step S2.
[0104] Upon determining that the atmospheric pressure Pa is equal
to or higher than the threshold pressure Pth (YES in step S2), the
switching speed setter 12 sets the switching speed of the switching
element 31 to the second speed SP2 in step S3. Otherwise, upon
determining that the atmospheric pressure Pa is lower than the
threshold pressure Pth (NO in step S2), the switching speed setter
12 sets the switching speed of the switching element 31 to the
first speed SP1 in step S4. Thereafter, the inverter control
apparatus 501 terminates the switching speed setting routine.
[0105] The switching speed setting routine illustrated in FIG. 3A
is designed to use the atmospheric pressure Pa as the at least one
parameter. The switching speed setting routine illustrated in FIG.
3A can be designed to use at least one of the switching-element
current Ice, the environment temperature Ta, and the inverter input
voltage Vinv in addition to the atmospheric pressure Pa as the at
least one parameter. In this modification, each of the first and
second speeds S1 and S2 in the switching speed setting routine is
shifted into the higher side or lower side in accordance with the
value of at least one of the switching-element current Ice, the
environment temperature Ta, and the inverter input voltage
Vinv.
[0106] FIG. 4A illustrates the relationships between the switching
speed of the switching element 31 and the switching-element current
Ice, and FIG. 4B illustrates the relationships between the
switching speed of the switching element 31 and the environment
temperature Ta. FIG. 4C illustrates the relationships between the
switching speed of the switching element 31 and the inverter input
voltage Vinv.
[0107] An increase of the switching-element current Ice flowing
through the switching element 31 increases the magnitude of a surge
occurring at the turn-off of the switching element 31, so that the
withstand voltages, i.e. the electrical isolation margins, of the
electrical isolation elements 92 decrease. The switching speed
setter 12 therefore sets the switching speed of the switching
element 31 such that, the higher the magnitude of the
switching-element current Ice is, the lower the switching speed of
the switching element 31 is (see FIG. 4A). The switching speed
setter 12 can continuously or stepwisely decrease the switching
speed of the switching element 31 with an increase of the
switching-element current Ice (see FIG. 4A).
[0108] A decrease of the environment temperature Ta increases the
magnitude of a surge occurring at the switching operation of the
switching element 31, so that the withstand voltages, i.e. the
electrical isolation margins, of the electrical isolation elements
92 decrease. The switching speed setter 12 therefore sets the
switching speed of the switching element 31 such that, the lower
the environment temperature Ta is, the lower the switching speed of
the switching element 31 is (see FIG. 4B). The switching speed
setter 12 can continuously or stepwisely increase the switching
speed of the switching element 31 with an increase of the
environment temperature Ta (see FIG. 4B).
[0109] An increase of the inverter input voltage Vinv increases the
magnitude of a surge occurring at the switching operation of the
switching element 31, resulting in an increase of the maximum
voltage to be applied to the switching element 31. This results in
a decrease of the withstand voltages, i.e. the electrical isolation
margins, of the electrical isolation elements 92. The switching
speed setter 12 therefore sets the switching speed of the switching
element 31 such that, the higher the magnitude of the inverter
input voltage Vinv is, the lower the switching speed of the
switching element 31 is (see FIG. 4C). The switching speed setter
12 can continuously or stepwisely decrease the switching speed of
the switching element 31 with an increase of the inverter input
voltage Vinv (see FIG. 4C).
[0110] That is, as illustrated in FIG. 3A, each of the first and
second speeds S1 and S2 in the switching speed setting routine is
shifted into the higher side (see an open arrow AR1 in FIG. 3A)
when at least one of the following conditions is satisfied:
[0111] The first condition is that a present value of the
switching-element current Ice obtained at the present execution
cycle of the switching speed setting routine becomes lower than a
first previous value of the switching-element current Ice obtained
at the first previous execution cycle of the switching speed
setting routine.
[0112] The second condition is that a present value of the
environment temperature Ta obtained at the present execution cycle
of the switching speed setting routine becomes higher than a first
previous value of the environment temperature Ta obtained at the
first previous execution cycle of the switching speed setting
routine.
[0113] The third condition is that a present value of the inverter
input voltage Vinv obtained at the present execution cycle of the
switching speed setting routine becomes lower than a first previous
value of the inverter input voltage Vinv obtained at the first
previous execution cycle of the switching speed setting
routine.
[0114] Each of the first and second speeds S1 and S2 in the
switching speed setting routine is shifted into the lower side (see
a hatched arrow AR2 in FIG. 3A) when at least one of the following
conditions is satisfied:
[0115] The fourth condition is that a present value of the
switching-element current Ice obtained at the present execution
cycle of the switching speed setting routine becomes higher than a
first previous value of the switching-element current Ice obtained
at the first previous execution cycle of the switching speed
setting routine.
[0116] The fifth condition is that a present value of the
environment temperature Ta obtained at the present execution cycle
of the switching speed setting routine becomes lower than a first
previous value of the environment temperature Ta obtained at the
first previous execution cycle of the switching speed setting
routine.
[0117] The sixth condition is that a present value of the inverter
input voltage Vinv obtained at the present execution cycle of the
switching speed setting routine becomes higher than a first
previous value of the inverter input voltage Vinv obtained at the
first previous execution cycle of the switching speed setting
routine.
[0118] In step S2, the switching speed setter 12 for example
determines whether the atmospheric pressure Pa decreases down to a
first threshold pressure Pth1. Upon determining that the
atmospheric pressure Pa decreases down to the first threshold
pressure Pth1, the switching speed setter 12 performs the operation
in step S4 to switch the switching speed of the switching element
31 from the first speed SP1 to the second speed SP2 (see FIG.
3B).
[0119] In step S2, the switching speed setter 12 also determines
whether the atmospheric pressure Pa increases up to a second
threshold pressure Pth2, which is higher than the first threshold
pressure Pth1. Upon determining that the atmospheric pressure Pa
increases up to the second threshold pressure Pth2, the switching
speed setter 12 performs the operation in step S3 to switch the
switching speed of the switching element 31 from the first speed
SP1 to the second speed SP2 (see FIG. 3B).
[0120] That is, the relationships between the switching speed of
the so switching element 31 and the atmospheric pressure Pa have
hysteresis characteristics. For example, the switching speed of the
switching element 31 is kept at the first speed SP1 while the
atmospheric pressure Pa is lower than the second threshold pressure
Pth2 even if the atmospheric pressure Pa becomes equal to or higher
than the first threshold pressure Pth1. In addition, the switching
speed of the switching element 31 is kept at the second speed SP2
while the atmospheric pressure Pa is equal to or higher than the
first threshold pressure Pth1 even if the atmospheric pressure Pa
becomes lower than the second threshold pressure Pth2. Thus, even
if the atmospheric pressure Pa is frequently changed around the
first threshold pressure Pth1 or the second threshold pressure
Pth2, this modification illustrated in FIG. 3B prevents the
switching speed of the switching element 31 from being frequently
switched.
[0121] This prevents hunting of the switching speed of the
switching element 31 between the first speed SP1 and the second
speed SP2, thus preventing the switching speed control of the
switching element 21 from being unstable.
[0122] In step S2, the switching speed setter 12 determines whether
the atmospheric pressure Pa is equal to or higher than the first
threshold pressure Pth1 and lower than the second threshold Pth2
(see FIG. 3C).
[0123] Upon determining that the atmospheric pressure Pa is equal
to or higher than the first threshold pressure Pth1 and lower than
the second threshold Pth2 (YES in step S2), the switching speed
setter 12 sets the switching speed of the switching element 31 to
the second speed SP2 in step S3. Otherwise, upon determining that
the atmospheric pressure Pa is lower than the first threshold
pressure Pth1 (NO in step S2), the switching speed setter 12 keeps
the switching speed of the switching element 31 to the first speed
SP1.
[0124] In addition, in step S2, the switching speed setter 12
determines whether the atmospheric pressure Pa is equal to or
higher than the second threshold Pth2 (see FIG. 3C).
[0125] Upon determining that the atmospheric pressure Pa is equal
to or higher than the second threshold Pth2, the switching speed
setter 12 sets the switching speed of the switching element 31 to a
third speed SP3 higher than the second speed SP2 in step S3.
Otherwise, upon determining that the atmospheric pressure Pa is
lower than the second threshold pressure Pth2 (NO in step S2), the
switching speed setter 12 determines whether the atmospheric
pressure Pa is equal to or higher than the first threshold Pth1
(see FIG. 3C) in step S2.
[0126] Upon determining that the atmospheric pressure Pa is equal
to or higher than the first threshold Pth1 (see FIG. 3C) in step
S2, the switching speed setter 12 sets the switching speed of the
switching element 31 to the second speed SP2 in step S3.
[0127] Otherwise, upon determining that the atmospheric pressure Pa
is lower than the first threshold Pth1 (see FIG. 3C) in step S2,
the switching speed setter 12 sets the switching speed of the
switching element 31 to the first speed SP1 in step S4.
[0128] That is, the switching speed setter 12 sets the switching
speed of the switching element 31 to any one of the first, second,
and third speeds.
[0129] As illustrated in FIG. 5, after the operation in step S1,
the switching speed setter 12 can continuously change the switching
speed of the switching element 31 between the first speed SP1 and
the second speed SP2 inclusive with change of the atmospheric
pressure Pa between 0.5 and 1.0 atmospheres inclusive in step S10
(see FIG. 6). For example, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the switching
speed setter 12 can continuously change the switching speed of the
switching element 31 from the first speed SP1 to the second speed
SP2 inclusive in a concavely upward curve. The switching speed
setter 12 can continuously change the switching speed of the
switching element 31 from the first speed SP1 to the second speed
SP2 inclusive in a linear fashion, a convexly upward curve, or
another shaped curve.
[0130] In this modification illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the curve
or linear function indicative of the relationships between the
atmospheric pressure Pa and the switching speed of the switching
element 31 is shifted into the higher side (see an open arrow AR3
in FIG. 5) when at least one of the following conditions is
satisfied:
[0131] The first condition is that a present value of the
switching-element current Ice obtained at the present execution
cycle of the switching speed setting routine becomes lower than a
most recent previous value of the switching-element current Ice
obtained at the most recent previous execution cycle of the
switching speed setting routine.
[0132] The second condition is that a present value of the
environment temperature Ta obtained at the present execution cycle
of the switching speed setting routine becomes higher than a most
recent previous value of the environment temperature Ta obtained at
the most recent previous execution cycle of the switching speed
setting routine.
[0133] The third condition is that a present value of the inverter
input voltage Vinv obtained at the present execution cycle of the
switching speed setting routine becomes lower than a most recent
previous value of the inverter input voltage Vinv obtained at the
most recent previous execution cycle of the switching speed setting
routine.
[0134] The curve or linear indicative of the relationships between
the atmospheric pressure Pa and the switching speed of the
switching element 31 is shifted into the lower side (see an open
arrow AR4 in FIG. 5) when at least one of the following conditions
is satisfied:
[0135] The fourth condition is that a present value of the
switching-element current Ice obtained at the present execution
cycle of the switching speed setting routine becomes higher than a
most recent previous value of the switching-element current Ice
obtained at the most recent previous execution cycle of the
switching speed setting routine.
[0136] The fifth condition is that a present value of the
environment temperature Ta obtained at the present execution cycle
of the switching speed setting routine becomes lower than a first
most recent value of the environment temperature Ta obtained at the
first most recent execution cycle of the switching speed setting
routine.
[0137] The sixth condition is that a present value of the inverter
input voltage Vinv obtained at the present execution cycle of the
switching speed setting routine becomes higher than a most recent
previous value of the inverter input voltage Vinv obtained at the
most recent previous execution cycle of the switching speed setting
routine.
[0138] More specifically, the switching speed setter 12 includes,
for example, information, i.e. correlation information, M in the
form of, for example, maps or equations; the information M
represents at least one of the relationships, which are illustrated
in FIGS. 3A to 3C and 5, between the atmospheric pressure Pa and
the switching speed of the switching element 31.
[0139] Specifically, the switching speed setter 12 can select one
of the relationships, which are illustrated in FIGS. 3A to 3C and
5, between the atmospheric pressure Pa and the switching speed of
the switching element 31. Then, the switching speed setter 12 can
change the switching speed of the switching element 31 based on the
selected relationship between the atmospheric pressure Pa and the
switching speed of the switching element 31. This enables the
switching speed setter 12 to reliably and simply change the
switching speed of the switching element 31.
[0140] Additionally, the switching speed setter 12 can adjust the
selected information in consideration of
[0141] (1) The switching speed of the switching element 31
decreasing with an increase of the switching-element current
Ice;
[0142] (2) The switching speed of the switching element 31
decreasing with an increase of the input voltage
[0143] (3) The switching speed of the corresponding switching
element decreasing with an increase of the input voltage.
[0144] The first to third specific switching-speed changing
patterns can be applied to the other switching elements 32 to 36 in
the same approach as those applied to the switching element 31 set
forth above.
[0145] The above-configured inverter control apparatus 501 includes
the switching speed setter 12. The switching speed setter 12
obtains information indicative of the atmospheric pressure Pa from
the atmospheric-pressure measuring unit 61.
[0146] Then, the switching speed setter 12 sets the switching speed
of each of the switching elements 31 to 36 such that, the lower the
atmospheric pressure Pa is, the lower the switching speed of each
of the switching elements 31 to 36 is. This suppresses the
magnitude of a surge even if the surge occurs in low
atmospheric-pressure environments in which the withstand voltages,
i.e. the electrical isolation margins, of the electrical isolation
elements 92 may decrease. This reduces the maximum voltage
generated between the low voltage part 100 and the high voltage
part 200, thus properly preventing electrical breakdown of the
electrical isolation elements 92 mounted to the circuit board of
the inverter control apparatus 501. This reduces the electrical
isolation distance of each of the electrical isolation elements 92
mounted to the circuit board of the inverter control apparatus 501,
thus downsizing the circuit board of the inverter control apparatus
501.
[0147] Reducing the switching speed of each of the switching
elements 31 to 36 may increase switching loss of the corresponding
switching element. In view of this point, the switching speed
setter 12 sets the switching speed of each of the switching
elements 31 to 36 to a higher speed if the atmospheric pressure Pa
changes from a present value to a sufficient higher value. This is
because the higher the atmospheric pressure Pa is, the higher the
withstand voltages, i.e. the electrical isolation margins, of the
electrical isolation elements 92 are. This enables switching loss
of each switching elements 31 to 36 to be reduced as low as
possible. In particular, if the inverter control apparatus 501 is
applied to a hybrid vehicle, reducing switching loss of each
switching elements 31 to 36 can lead to improvement of fuel economy
of the hybrid vehicle and to conversation of the environment.
[0148] In addition, the switching speed setter 12 obtains
information indicative of at least one of the switching-element
current Ice, the environment temperature Ta, and the inverter input
voltage Vinv in addition to information indicative of the
atmospheric pressure Pa from a corresponding at least one of the
measurement devices 86 (87), 62, and 24.
[0149] Then, the switching speed setter 12 sets the switching speed
of each of the switching elements 31 to 36 so as to reduce the
switching speed of each of the switching elements 31 to 36 with at
least one of
[0150] (1) An increase of the switching-element current Ice
[0151] (2) A decrease of the environment temperature Ta
[0152] (3) An increase of the inverter input voltage Vinv.
[0153] In other words, the switching speed setter 12 sets the
switching speed of each of the switching elements 31 to 36 to an
appropriate speed that satisfies the requirements of the
atmospheric pressure Pa, and the requirements of at least one of
the switching-element current Ice, environment temperature Ta, and
inverter input voltage Vinv.
[0154] If the switching speed setter 12 failed to obtain the
parameters Ice, Ta, and Vinv, it could be necessary to decide the
maximum electrical isolation distance of each of the electrical
isolation elements 92 mounted to the circuit board of the inverter
control apparatus 501 such that the maximum electrical isolation
distance prevents the occurrence of electrical breakdown of each of
the electrical isolation elements 92 even if
[0155] (1) The switching-element current Ice has an upper limit
value
[0156] (2) The environment temperature Ta has a lower limit
value
[0157] (3) The inverter input voltage Vinv has an upper limit
value.
[0158] This therefore could cause the maximum electrical isolation
distance to a longer value, and resulting in upsizing of the
circuit board of the inverter control apparatus 501.
[0159] In contrast, the switching speed setter 12 according to the
first embodiment obtains information indicative of at least one of
the switching-element current Ice, the environment temperature Ta,
and the inverter input voltage Vinv in addition to information
indicative of the atmospheric pressure Pa from a corresponding at
least one of the measurement devices 86 (87), 62, and 24. Then, the
switching speed setter 12 adjusts the switching speed of each of
the switching elements 31 to 36 in accordance with the pieces of
information indicative of at least one of the switching-element
current Ice, the environment temperature Ta, and the inverter input
voltage Vinv. This enables the maximum electrical isolation
distance of each of the electrical isolation elements 92 to be
optimally determined.
[0160] The switching speed setter 12 according to the first
embodiment is installed in the controller 101. The current-feedback
control carried out by the controller 101 uses information
indicative of the V- or W-phase current Iv or Iw as the
switching-element current Ice and information indicative of the
inverter input voltage Vinv. Thus, the switching speed setter 12
installed in the controller 101 enables the information indicative
of the V- or W-phase current Iv or Iw as the switching-element
current Ice and the information indicative of the inverter input
voltage Vinv, which are input to the controller 101, to be easily
used. Additionally, installing the switching speed setter 12 in the
controller 101 enables a hardware and/or software logic circuit
implementing the functions of the switching speed setter 12 to be
relatively easily added to the base functions of the controller
101.
Second Embodiment
[0161] The following describes an inverter control apparatus 502 of
a power conversion system 90A according to the second embodiment
with reference to FIG. 7.
[0162] The structure and/or functions of the inverter control
apparatus 502 according to the second embodiment are different from
the inverter control apparatus 501 according to the first
embodiment by the following points. So, the following mainly
describes the different points.
[0163] The inverter control apparatus 502 includes a driver 402
located in the high voltage part 200. The driver 402 includes a
switching speed setter 42. That is, a controller 102 according to
the second embodiment, which is located in the low voltage part,
includes the switching control command calculator 11 without
including the switching speed setter 42.
[0164] Additionally, the power conversion system 90A includes an
atmospheric-pressure measuring unit 63 for measuring atmospheric
pressure Pa, and a temperature measuring unit 64 for measuring
environment temperature Ta therearound. The atmospheric-pressure
measuring unit 63 and temperature measuring unit 64 are provided in
the high voltage part 200. The functions of each of the
atmospheric-pressure measuring unit 63 and temperature measuring
unit 64 are identical to those of a corresponding one of the
atmospheric-pressure measuring unit 61 and temperature measuring
unit 62.
[0165] The switching signal setter 42 obtains a value of the
atmospheric pressure Pa from the atmospheric-pressure measuring
unit 63, and a value of the environment temperature Ta from the
temperature measuring unit 64.
[0166] The functions of the switching signal setter 42 are
identical to those of the switching speed setter 12, so that the
switching signal setter 42 outputs the switching speed instructions
to the switching speed changer 43 inside the driver 402. The
structure that the switching signal setter 42 is provided or
installed in the driver 402 means that the switching signal setter
42 located in the high voltage part 200 enables the switching speed
instructions to be input to the switching speed changer 43 without
the switching speed instructions being input from the low voltage
part 100 to the high voltage part 200 via the electrical isolation
elements 92.
[0167] The atmospheric-pressure measuring unit 63 and the
temperature measuring unit 64 can be provided outside the driver
402 as illustrated in FIG. 7, or provided inside the driver 402.
Like the switching speed setter 12, the switching signal setter 42
also obtains a value of the V-phase alternating current Iv or the
W-phase alternating current Iw as a current reflecting the
switching-element current Ice, and a value of the inverter input
voltage Vinv in addition to the atmospheric pressure Pa and the
environment temperature Ta. Then, the switching signal setter 42
executes the switching speed setting routine set forth above to set
the switching speed of each of the switching elements 31 to 36
based on the value of at least one of these parameters Pa, Ice, Ta,
and Vinv.
[0168] Like the first embodiment, the switching signal setter 42
can be designed to obtain at least one of the switching-element
current Ice, the environment temperature Ta, and the inverter input
voltage Vinv in addition to the atmospheric pressure Pa as the at
least one parameter. Then, the signal setter 42 can be designed to
set the switching speed of each of the switching elements 31 to 36
based on the atmospheric pressure Pa and at least one of the
switching-element current Ice, the environment temperature Ta, and
the inverter input voltage Vinv.
[0169] The switching speed setter 42 of the inverter control
apparatus 502 adjusts the switching speed of each of the switching
elements 31 to 36 with change of the atmospheric pressure Pa is,
the lower the switching speed of each of the switching elements 31
to 36. This suppresses the magnitude of a surge even if the surge
occurs in low atmospheric-pressure environments in which the
withstand voltages, i.e. the electrical isolation margins, of the
electrical isolation elements 92 may decrease. This reduces the
electrical isolation distance of each of the electrical isolation
elements 92 mounted to the circuit board of the inverter control
apparatus 502, thus downsizing the circuit board of the inverter
control apparatus 502.
[0170] The inverter control apparatus 502 eliminates the need to
transmit the switching speed instructions from the low voltage part
100 to the high voltage part 200 via the electrical isolation
elements 92. This makes it possible to eliminate the electrical
isolation elements 92 from the power conversion system 90A.
Third Embodiment
[0171] The following describes an inverter control apparatus 503 of
a power conversion system 90B according to the third embodiment
with reference to FIG. 8.
[0172] The structure and/or functions of the inverter control
apparatus 503 according to the third embodiment are different from
the inverter control apparatus 501 according to the first
embodiment by the following points. So, the following mainly
describes the different points.
[0173] Like the first embodiment, the switching speed setter 12 is
installed in the controller 101. In particular, the switching speed
setter 12 obtains a value of the atmospheric pressure Pa and a
value of the environment temperature Ta from an electronic control
unit (ECU) 70 whose functions are different from the functions of
the controller 101.
[0174] One of ECUs installed in the vehicle, such as a battery ECU
for controlling the state of charge (SOC) of the battery 20,
allowable input power Win to the battery 20, and allowable output
power from the battery 20, can be used as the ECU 70. The ECU 70 is
configured to obtain a value of the atmospheric pressure Pa and a
value of the environment temperature Ta for a predetermined purpose
different from the switching-speed setting.
[0175] That is, the switching speed setter 12 is configured to
obtain a value of the atmospheric pressure Pa from the ECU 70, and
a value of the environment temperature Ta from the ECU 70.
[0176] The switching speed setter 12 also obtains a value of the
V-phase alternating current Iv or the W-phase alternating current
Iw as a current reflecting the switching-element current Ice, and a
value of the inverter input voltage Vinv in addition to the
atmospheric pressure Pa and the environment temperature Ta. Then,
the switching speed setter 12 executes the switching speed setting
routine set forth above to set the switching speed of each of the
switching elements 31 to 36 based on the value of at least one of
these parameters Pa, Ice, Ta, and Vinv.
[0177] Like the first embodiment, the switching speed setter 12 can
be designed to obtain at least one of the switching-element current
Ice, the environment temperature Ta, and the inverter input voltage
Vinv in addition to the atmospheric pressure Pa as the at least one
parameter. Then, the switching speed setter 12 can be designed to
set the switching speed of each of the switching elements 31 to 36
based on the atmospheric pressure Pa and at least one of the
switching-element current Ice, the environment temperature Ta, and
the inverter input voltage Vinv.
[0178] The switching speed setter 12 can obtain, from another
device, such as the ECU 70, information correlating with the
atmospheric pressure Pa, and calculate a value of the atmospheric
pressure Pa based on the obtained information.
[0179] For example, the switching speed setter 12 can obtain an
attitude of the present place of the vehicle above sea level from a
navigation system NS as another device. Then, the switching speed
setter 12 can calculate the atmospheric pressure Pa as a function
of the obtained attitude of the present place of the vehicle and
the environmental temperature Ta.
[0180] The inverter control apparatus 503 according to the third
embodiment achieves the same advantageous effects as the inverter
control apparatus 501. Additionally, the inverter control apparatus
503 specifically obtains information correlating with the
atmospheric pressure Pa from another device to set the switching
speed of each switching element 31 to 36 accordingly. This achieves
an advantageous effect of eliminating the dedicated
atmospheric-pressure measuring unit 61.
[0181] Each of the inverter control apparatuses 501 to 503 aims to
address reduction of the atmospheric pressure Pa around the
corresponding inverter control apparatus due to when the vehicle is
going to travel from a present place to a target place whose
attitude above sea level is higher than that of the present place.
In addition, abnormal weather or using each of the inverter control
apparatuses 501 to 503 in an experimental installation can be
considered as a possible cause of the reduction of the atmospheric
pressure Pa each of the inverter control apparatuses 501 to
503.
[0182] The present disclosure is applied to cases where each of the
inverter control apparatuses 501 to 503 reduces the switching speed
of each switching element 31 to 36 in low atmospheric-pressure
environments, whose atmospheric pressure is lower than 1
atmosphere. However, the present disclosure can be applied to other
cases where each of the inverter control apparatuses 501 to 503
reduces the switching speed of each switching element 31 to 36 in
low atmospheric-pressure environments, whose atmospheric pressure
is higher than 1 atmosphere.
[0183] A booster converter, which boosts the voltage output from
the battery 20 to thereby supplying the boosted voltage as the
inverter input voltage Vinv to the inverter 30, can be provided
between the battery 20 and the inverter 30.
[0184] Each of the inverter control apparatuses 501 to 503 can be
applied to four- or more-phase inverters. The present disclosure
can be applied to various converters except for the inverter for
converting DC power to AC so power. For example, the present
disclosure can be applied to an H bridge circuit for changing the
direction and magnitude of a direct current of DC power.
[0185] Electrical loads, to which electrical power controlled by
each of the control apparatuses 501 to 503, are not limited to the
motor-generator 80, but can be applied to motors used for auxiliary
devices for vehicles or used for alpine trains. Electrical devices
used in experimental installations, around which the atmospheric
pressure Pa changes, can be used as electrical loads of the control
apparatuses 501 to 503.
[0186] While the illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure
have been described herein, the present disclosure is not limited
to the embodiments described herein, but includes any and all
embodiments having modifications, omissions, combinations (e.g., of
aspects across various embodiments), adaptations and/or
alternations as would be appreciated by those in the art based on
the present disclosure. The limitations in the claims are to be
interpreted broadly based on the language employed in the claims
and not limited to examples described in the present specification
or during the prosecution of the application, which examples are to
be construed as non-exclusive.
* * * * *